The Holy Grail supplement for midlife women? This is why everyone’s taking creatine

If you’re trying to reduce brain fog and low moods, increase muscle and bone mass, and offset sleep deprivation, you might reach for a targeted menopause supplement – or you could consider humble creatine, an amino acid found in our own bodies and abundant in dietary sources such as red meat and seafood.

Creatine monohydrate powder has long been taken by fitness fans to boost their performance and muscle mass. But now it’s found a new purpose among women as a brain, strength and mood-enhancing supplement to mitigate some of the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause, although you don’t need to be menopausal (or a woman) to benefit.

The nutrient was woefully underrated for the longest time, says registered nutritionist and menopause specialist Emma Bardwell: “Not enough women were using it,” she says. But this has changed, with wellbeing and health experts such as Bardwell, menopause fitness coach Kate Rowe-Ham, as well as celebrities including Halle Berry and Davina McCall singing creatine’s praises. And not before time: creatine is a rare supplement whose longevity-supporting benefits are universally acknowledged.

 

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Bardwell, for one, rates it as one of her few essential midlife supplements (as any nutritionist will tell you, you should primarily get your nutrients from your diet): “Creatine can be a game-changer in (peri)menopause. I take it daily and when I forget for a day or two, it has an effect on my stamina when I lift weights: I definitely struggle more with the last few reps.”

So what are the proven benefits of creatine, and how can you make sure you get enough?

The benefits of creatine

• It increases muscle strength

Creatine works by rapidly helping cells make more ATP, which is their energy source. It means muscle cells can fire on all cylinders, increasing stamina and performance and allowing you to work out harder – and that will positively affect muscle mass. Which is essential as you go through menopause and beyond, as you need to off-set the natural muscle decline that comes with oestrogen depletion and age.

This does mean, says Bardwell, that just knocking back creatine is will not keep you in strength-giving shape: it’s the combination of resistance exercise and creatine that will get you significantly enhanced results.

However, says health writer Liz Earle, because creatine improves cell hydration and helps stop the breakdown of some proteins in our muscles, supplementing it can, in the long term, counteract sarcopenia (muscle loss due to ageing).

Earle adds a teaspoon of creatine to her morning coffee every day: “It’s a cheap and easy health hack that helps me improve muscle tone and strength, and gives a little energy boost too.”

 

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• It boosts brain power

Research from the University of Sydney showed that creatine improves “working memory and general intelligence” by maintaining energy levels in the brain. In tests, 5g of daily creatine supplementation gave a significant but short-term boost to brain power, indicating that it may be a good thing to take before an exam or an important presentation.

Darren Candow PhD, director of the ageing muscle and bone health laboratory at the University of Regina, Canada, says on The Genius Life podcast that creatine supplements only seem to work in times of metabolic stress (including sleep deprivation, ageing and  neurological disease), when the brain tops up the creatine it makes itself by supplies takes it from the blood. The additional creatine helps to fight off oxidative stress and inflammation, leaving the brain free to think clearly.

To get sustained cognitive benefits, you may need more than the recommended 3-5g a day. Professor James Goodwin, director of Science and Research Impact at the Brain Health Network says that a daily 10g dose is probably required to reduce brain fog – more on this below. 

• It reduces fatigue

Neuroscientist Tara Swart quotes a new study that found that “a single high dose of creatine improves cognitive performance and changes in brain energy availability during periods of sleep deprivation”.

There is no suggestion that creatine supplementation will help you sleep better, she says, but it might combat the negative effects of short-term sleep deprivation, making you feel less fatigued and improving memory, attention and language.

• It energises your system

Not only can a dose of creatine turn you into the Duracell bunny if taken before exercise, it could give you a boost of overall energy anytime during the day. “If you suffer from a mid-morning energy dip, for example, a creatine-spiked smoothie could wake you up better than a coffee, without any caffeine side effects,” says Bardwell.

• It may help reduce bone loss

Creatine supplementation in combination with resistance training hasn’t just been shown to counterbalance muscle loss, it helps fight bone loss as well, says Bardwell, by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress  – and even increasing bone formation.

This was shown in a study, Candow says, where older women were given 11g of creatine daily for two years, and their bone density improved significantly. This is of course important because (peri)menopausal oestrogen decline leads to an increased risk of osteoporosis.

• It counteracts depression and anxiety

The body calls heavily upon your natural creatine levels during times of depression and anxiety, so it makes sense that supplementation at these times is useful. According to Candow, dietary creatine reduces the severity of these conditions. As with brain power and fatigue though, supplementation only works when you’re actively suffering with brittle mental health and need to off-set the depletion of your natural creatine reserves.

How do I take a creatine supplement exactly?

A number of large studies show that 3-5g of creatine monohydrate a day can improve stamina and strength when combined with resistance training, and the same dose appears to be helpful for cognitive and mental support when you feel sub-par. Recently, claims have been made for taking higher doses – more about that below.

You can take it any time of the day (Candow suggests taking two half doses, one in the morning and one at night, to improve absorption). Powders are usually recommended (unfortunately, they’re somewhat gritty); they can be mixed into a drink or a yogurt.

Bardwell says that creatine is fine to put in hot drinks (including coffee) – “just make sure you drink fairly soon to get most benefits. Creatine degrades over time, whether in hot or cold water.” So don’t dump it in a large water bottle you take all day to drink!

Should you consider taking 10g of creatine a day?

There are some indications that taking a higher dose of creatine – creatine loading – may have brain and bone-protective effects. A recent study published in the Journal of the international Society of Sport Nutrition showed that 10mg of creatine a day enhanced cognitive function in healthy adults in the longer term.

According to Candow, while 95% of creatine gets stored in muscle, 5% gets “sucked up” by the brain and other systems under stress. For the bones to receive benefit, he says the minimum effective dose is 8g daily, while the brain might require an even higher dose of 10-20g. For more on taking mega-doses, read our deep dive into creatine loading.

What are the best sources of creatine?

Creatine is most abundant in seafood and meat – with red meat being richer in creatine than chicken or pork. Parmesan cheese is also often cited as a good source.

Like collagen, creatine does not exist in the plant world, but certain plant foods do provide the building blocks of creatine to help your body make its own. Try seeds, white beans, nuts (particularly walnuts and almonds) and watercress.

Can creatine worsen the symptoms of endometriosis?

A 2024 study that found creatine was higher in endometriosis-related cells and potentially helps endometriosis lesions survive has caused concern among endometriosis sufferers. But, says Bardwell, “this certainly doesn’t prove creatine worsens endometriosis in women. We do not yet have good human supplementation trials showing that taking creatine causes, worsens or drives endometriosis symptoms.”

That said, she advises being cautious and discuss creatine with your clinician if you have endometriosis.

Does creatine cause weight gain?

Because creatine makes muscles hold on to water, you may notice a small increase in weight, and some people may feel bloated. But this should dissipate as the body gets used to it. Any long-term weight increase, if you stick to your resistance training efforts, will be due to the increase in muscle mass: muscle is heavier than fat.

Who should not take creatine?

Don’t give it to children, don’t take it if you have kidney disease, and talk to your GP if you have endometriosis. Otherwise, it is seen as very safe.

As for rumours about creatine causing cancer: one study theorised (but did not prove) that creatine supplementation may lead to the formation of carcinogenic compounds in the body. But other studies seem to show it may decrease the risk of certain cancers, and there are no studies showing creatine is unsafe at the recommended doses.

5 creatine powders to try

These are much of a muchness, although powders are “the gold standard” and gummies are best avoided as they “have been shown to contain negligible amounts of creatine,” says Bardwell. To counteract grittiness, look for ‘micronised’ powders.